There are no patent applications filed by me related to the within application.
I. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the general field of systems for preventing freezing of water in open basins during periods of below freezing temperatures;
The invention is more particularly in the field of such systems wherein the temperature of the water in such basins is maintained by use of soil temperature at a level below the frost line (the level above which soil is frozen and below which the soil is not frozen).
The invention is most particularly in a new, novel, unique, and useful method for causing automatic and continuous circulation of water in a basin in the soil which extends through zones both above and below the frost line
II. Description of the Prior Art
There have been a number of attempts to harness the thermal energy existing below the frost line to prevent water from freezing. All of the attempts have been in essentially in the same manner. All of these attempts rely on one or another method of merely mixing warmer water entering a basin, such as a livestock watering tank, at a position below the frost line, or relying upon mingling of the water throughout the entire tank or basin. Under very severe cold conditions there is a general complete stagnation of any water flow, particularly at the top of the tank.
Very cold water is heavier than less cold water. Thus, when a tank is being used to practice this general method the colder water has a tendency to descend, with warmer water rising. However, there comes a point when the opposite occurs. As the temperature of water decreases to actual freezing, the commencement of ice formation then brings that water, as ice being formed, to the top, since the ice is considerably lighter than water.
The prior art is well documented by patents and literature. The state of the prior art can best be understood by an examination of two United States Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,928 is an example of one approach to this matter. In this approach, an elongate tank is installed into soil for a distance which carries the bottom of the tank below the frost line. The top portion of the tank is insulated about its exterior. The water itself is covered by a floating disc. The theory is that the disk can be pushed down by livestock so as to enable the animals to drink from the top of the disc. Then, when the level of the water falls, it will be replaced by an intake from a water supply which is in the soil below the frost line. This new water, will then circulate upward in the tank. This theory is proper, but it fails to take into account the fact the new water is at a temperature in equilibrium with the water in the tank below the frost line. Being a large body of water it is relatively stagnate and motionless except for those periods in which the water is actually entering, and swirling as set forth in the patent referred to. Therefore, when animals are not actively drinking, the water in the tank can freeze rather easily, with the principal inhibition to freezing at the top being the floating disc and the insulated collar. However, the floating disc can even be a detriment under some circumstance as water between the periphery of the disk and inner edge of the top of the tank is more or less prevented from moving, thus providing an excellent condition for ice formation;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,008 is typical of another approach wherein a pumping and circulation system is provided. While this approach may be effective in preventing freezing, the cost of installation, operation, and maintenance of such systems is a tremendous drawback, and will make it impractical for many purposes. For example, in remote areas such as national forest areas, where water supplies are desired for wild animals it may not be possible to have the electrical, or other, power required to operate such systems.
Other attempts have included the use of air blowers over the top of the water, various types of heaters, various powered circulation systems, and the like.
I studied all types of material on this subject, and yet I am always led back to the basic systems described above.
I have now, conceived, and developed a system, which is now in operation, and which requires no external nor supplemental power, or the like. This will be described completely below. There are several embodiments of my invention. By developing different embodiments I am able to adapt to various climatic conditions with the most economical approach for each given condition.
None of the prior art discussed here, nor found by me anyplace, has suggested, nor anticipated, my new, unique, useful, and novel method and apparatus which is described in this patent application.
Providing drinking water for animals is an extremely difficult and costly problem for farmers, wild life conservators, and others in cold climates. The animals must have plenty of drinking water during periods of extreme cold. Yet, available water freezes and cannot be accessed by the average range animal, wild animals, and others.
The problem in supplying water for animals under harsh conditions has resulted in many different approaches. Various means of heating drinking water, breaking surface ice, circulating pumping systems have been tried.
One approach has been to attempt to utilize the heat stored in soil below the frost line. The frost line is defined as the point below ground surface where the soil is not frozen. Below the frost line, the soil, while cold, still carries enough latent heat to prevent water from freezing.
Numerous attempts to circulate water from below the frost line have been made. In the Description of the prior art, above, I have recited the more important attempts to utilize this principle. Unfortunately, the various attempts which have been made before my present invention have been deficient, or less than practical, or not economical as previously recited under the description of the prior art.
One of the problems which has been difficult to solve is the relative stagnation of water around the periphery in a large container such as a tank large enough to allow drinking by large animals. Since the water around the periphery of the container is practically motionless ice forms rather quickly about the edges of the container. Once the ice commences to form it rather rapidly covers the entire surface.
Utilizing the difference in ground temperature below the frost line, a tank with a substantial portion below the frost line has a tendency to have circulation due to the tendency of very cold water near the top to become heavier than the rest of the water, and thus to sink, creating somewhat constant rising and falling currents. These naturally occurring currents, however, fail to produce enough mixing and agitation to prevent the initial formation of ice on the surface, particularly around the upper edges of a large container.
I have found that some persons working in this field have attempted to cause water entering, or already in the container to swirl. However, such attempts have generally been less than fully effective for a variety of reasons. Among others, the problems in causing effective swirling usually require some sort of power. The power is generally not available, or available only at a very high cost, in the areas in which animal drinking water is required.
Some attempts at causing swirling have been directed to specially shaped water intake pipes and the like. These attempts are very limited in that water is not constantly entering animal drinking containers. Also, the float valves commonly used for controlling the intake of water can easily become fouled or impaired due to the cold and other factors.
Other attempts to assist in preventing ice formation have included blowing heated air over the surface of the water. Once again, such an approach generally fails due to the lack of appropriate power and due to the excessive cost.
I have finally conceived and perfected a unique, novel, and useful system, which has now been operating a sufficient length of time to be thoroughly proven, by which I can maintain animal drinking containers without formation of ice throughout extremely adverse weather conditions and without any external power or other assistance.
I have accomplished this by unique mechanical structures in which I channel cold water at the uppermost level in an open tank into a definable stream and direct warmer water within the tank into a restricted zone about the periphery of an open edge of a drinking container. I have discovered that, among other innovations, I can create a Bernoulli effect by a proper mounting of a pipe within a tank, as will be disclosed in more detail below.
In perfecting my method and apparatus I have been able to now provide an economical solution to this old and troublesome problem of maintaining proper drinking water availability for animals, even in remote and harsh circumstances. Also, by using diaphragm valves in an usual manner I have avoided fouling and mis-functioning of intake water systems.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method for preventing freezing of water in outdoor containers;
Another object of this invention is to cause currents to flow in defined paths in a large outdoor water container under freezing conditions such that the water does not freeze;
Another object of this invention is to create Bernoulli effect acceleration and circulation in certain areas of a drinking water tank;
Another object of this invention is prevent fouling or malfunctioning of intake water supplies in animal drinking facilities;
Another object of this invention is to provide such systems for prevention of freezing water which can be utilized in different embodiments to provide the most economical system for any given climatic condition.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the descriptions of a preferred embodiments, which follow, in conjunction with a review of the appended drawings.